Alexandria (ALX)

[sleeper car]

Hello all,

Just a quick question.

My wife and I are going From Newark to Alexandria (ALX) in two weeks on the Northeast regional.

My wife had mentioned to me that even though the ticket says ALX, she believes we may have to get off in Washington D.C. Union Station and catch the metro to get to Alexandria.

I thought it was direct to ALX on Amtrak.

Can any confirm which it is? (BTW, I tried to call Amtrak the other night and it was a two hour hold time, so I didn't wait).


Thanks

 

[zephyr17]

If your ticket is one segment NWK-ALX, your train goes to ALX. While most NE Regionals only go as far as WAS, some services do go beyond WAS and it looks like you are on one.

If your wife wants to get off in WAS and take the Metro to Alexandria you certainly can if you want. But you don't have to.

 

[zephyr17]

An example, NE Regional 95

 

[TinCan782]

ALX is a valid Amtrak station...I used it last fall off and back on the Cardinal. Nice station.

 

[sleeper car]

If your ticket is one segment NWK-ALX, your train goes to ALX. While most NE Regionals only go as far as WAS, some services do go beyond WAS and it looks like you are on one.

If your wife wants to get off in WAS and take the Metro to Alexandria you certainly can if you want. But you don't have to.

Thank you all!

 

[daybeers]

Amtrak's hold time has been bad since they closed down the call center in California, but there is an option to get a call back, and if you are a Guest Rewards member (free frequent traveler program), you can call 800-307-5000 8AM-8PM EST for faster service usually.

 

[Bigpaw]

Hello all,

Just a quick question.

My wife and I are going From Newark to Alexandria (ALX) in two weeks on the Northeast regional.

My wife had mentioned to me that even though the ticket says ALX, she believes we may have to get off in Washington D.C. Union Station and catch the metro to get to Alexandria.

I thought it was direct to ALX on Amtrak.

Can any confirm which it is? (BTW, I tried to call Amtrak the other night and it was a two hour hold time, so I didn't wait).


Thanks

You’ll stay on the train when it pulls into Washington. You’ll stay there about 20 minutes then the next stop is Alexandria

 

[jis]

Incidentally the Amtrak Alexandria station is adjacent to the Blue and Yellow Line King Street Station.

 

[joelkfla]

Incidentally the Amtrak Alexandria station is adjacent to the Blue and Yellow Line King Street Station.

IIRC, no connection between the two, though. It was something like a 3-block walk, down to the street, then down the street to nearest underpass, and then back on the other side of the tracks.

 

[jis]

IIRC, no connection between the two, though. It was something like a 3-block walk, down to the street, then down the street to nearest underpass, and then back on the other side of the tracks.

Right. The ALX development plan has a pedestrian tunnel connecting the two, but that is many years away.

The walk between the two stations is shorter than the walk to any of the Hotels across from the station, if that is any consolation.

 

[Trollopian]

IIRC, no connection between the two, though. It was something like a 3-block walk, down to the street, then down the street to nearest underpass, and then back on the other side of the tracks.

That's correct, JoelK of FL. There's a related thread at ALX vs WAS coming from DCA airport. There, the situation was reversed (original poster was flying into DCA, wondering whether to board Amtrak at ALX or WAS). Unanimous advice was "WAS." But he or she was gonna have to board Metro from DCA regardless. Here, the poster already has a through-ticket to ALX. Why add hassle?

 

[jis]

That's correct, JoelK of FL. There's a related thread at ALX vs WAS coming from DCA airport. There, the situation was reversed (original poster was flying into DCA, wondering whether to board Amtrak at ALX or WAS). Unanimous advice was "WAS." But he or she was gonna have to board Metro from DCA regardless. Here, the poster already has a through-ticket to ALX. Why add hassle?

The advice to go to WAS was mainly for access to station amenities. Time and hassle wise the choice would be ALX, but ALX has no station amenities other than peace and quiet and a conveient place to sit inside a nice station building.

 

[SubwayNut]

I once took the Metro out to Alexandria from DC (it was on Columbus Day after the 2015 gathering) to catch the Carolinian back to NYP, which runs discharge only from DC to NYP. I booked the Carolinian because it was at low bucket and half the price of any of the evening Regionals, when I booked only a week out.

 

[Trollopian]

The advice to go to WAS was mainly for access to station amenities. Time and hassle wise the choice would be ALX, but ALX has no station amenities other than peace and quiet and a conveient place to sit inside a nice station building.

Also much greater frequency of service. The poster was heading in the Philly/NYC direction and might've had to wait 2 to 3 hours at ALX, barely at all at WAS!